Locking device for shelves.



L. M. STEARNS.

ICE FOP. SHELVES.

Patented Aug. 3, 1909.

WITNESSES.

WMC Zia? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LINCOLN H. STEARNS, OF JAME STOWN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO ART METAL CON STRUC- TION COMPANY, OF 'JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

LOCKING nnvrcn roa mums.

No. 999,728. r

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 3, 1909.

hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to a locking device for shelves and more especially to shelves such as are employed in connection with book racks where it is desired to adjust the shelves at difierent heights.

The object of the invention is to provide a .locking'device for shelves of this character which is simple in construction and which be readilyadjusted into and 'out of may loo ing position so that when in the unlocked position the shelf may be readily removed and adjusted at a different height apdagain locked securely imposition to prefront the displacement of the shelf, due to ars or blows occasioned by the insertion or withdrawal of a book.

To these ends my invention comprises, generally stated, a suitable "frame or casing, a removable shelf supported therein, with means for supporting the shelf at different heights in said casing, and a vertically movable bar on said casing adapted to lock said shelf in position, said bar in its vertical movement moving toward and from said shelf, whereby. saidshelf is'locked in one position of said bar and capable of being readily removed in the outward position of said bar, all as fully hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a case with my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a view of the shelf removed; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of the locking device when 'in its locked position; and Fig. 4 is a like view showing it in unlocked position. i

In the drawings the numeral 2 designates a suitable case or rack for containing the books 3. The case may be made upof metal plat8S S8CHI8d together in the proper manner or, if desired, ;the case maybe made from wood. In thehrear wall of the case are the apertures 5 arranged at suitable intervals apart to receive-the inner ends of the ShBIVBSS-a. .The shelves illustrated are a common form 'of roller'shelf made up of bars or strips of metal secured together with the rollers 7 journaled therein. The side bars 8 of the shelf are provided with the end .portions 9 which areadapted to enter the openings 5. To support the shelves at their outer ends vertical channel bars 10 are secured to the side walls of the case and said channels are provided at suitable intervals with the apertures 11. The front cross bar 12 of the shelf is bent to form the inwardly projecting end portions 13 which are adapt ed to'enter the apertures 11 of the channel bars 10 to support the outer ends of the shelf.

. Locking bars 14 have the slots 15 formed therein with which the pins 16 on the inner faces of the side walls of the case engage. It is apparent that one looking bar for each set of shelves would suffice. These slots 15 are nclined and the lower ends of the slots are provided with the recesses 17, while the upper ends of said slots are slightly turned inwardly, as at 18. When the locking bars 14 are in position as indicated in Fig.3, the pins 16 will be in the upper or inwardly curved portions 18 of the slots and the inner edges of the locking bars will bear against the outer faces of the outer cross bars 12 of the shelves so as to prevent any outward movement on the part of said shelves. this manner the shelf is held securely in p0- sition against outward movement and cannot be displaced in case it is struck by the withdrawal of a book from the shelf below, or from some other cause.

When it is desired to remove a shelf to adjust it at a different height it is only necessary to move the bar 14 upward, whereupon said bar with the pins 16 traveling in the slots 16 will be moved outwardly, as indicated in Fig. 4, and when the bar has been moved toits extreme outward position by lowering the bar slightly the pins will takeposition up within the recesses 17 of the slots so that the bar is held in its outward position and the shelf may then be readily re-. moved by drawing it outward so as to disengage the projecting ends 9 and 13 from the apertures 5 and 11 respectively. The spacebetween the bar 14.- and the channel bars 10, when the locking bar is withdrawn, will give suflicient space for the free move ment of the inwardly projectin ends of the front cross bars 12 of .the shl so that the shelf may be readily moved up and down and inserted in the desired apertures in the channels 10. lVhen the shelf has been ad-v I justed to its new position and the locking bar 14 is raised slightly and then lowered until the pins 16 occupy their positions in the uppermost parts of the slots 14 the locking bar will be again in its locking position, bearing againstthe outer cross bars 12 ofthe shelves and holding the shelves against outward movement.

By my invention I provide locking means for the shelves which may be readily moved into and out of locking position Without re-' moving any of the parts, the bar 14 when unlocked remaining attached to the case in such a way that all that is required is tomove the locking bar slightly in a vertical direction Without detaching it in anyway from the case.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. The combination of a suitable case, removable shelves su ported therein, shelf supports at different ieights on said case, and a laterally movable locking bar adapted to engage said shelves. r

The combination of a suitable case, re movable shelves supported therein, shelf supports at different heights on said case, and a locking bar movable up and down in suitable guides and adapted to engage said shelves, said locking bar being movable toward and from said shelves, simultaneously with its up and down movement. 3. The combination of a suitable case, removable shelves supported therein, shelf sup-- ports at different heights on said case, a locking bar having diagonal slots formed therein, and pins or projections on said case adapted to engage said slots and said looking bar adapted to engage said shelves.

4. The combination of a suitable case, re- 0 movable shelves supported therein, shelf supports at different heights on said case, a locking bar having diagonal slots with upwardly extending recesses at the lower ends thereof, and pins on said case engaging said slots and said bar adapted to engage said shelves.

5. The-combination of a suitable case, a bar having openings therein at different heights, shelves having 7 projecting ortions adapted to engage said openings, an a locking bar movable up and down in suitable uides and adapted to en age sa1d shelves to old the projecting ends t ereof in said openings, said locking bar movable toward and from said shelves simultaneously with its LINCOLN M. STEARNS.

- Witnesses:

C. W. STRONG, L. M. LOMBARD. 

